Grants and Fellowships

The Conference Travel Grants are co-sponsored by the School of Graduate Studies and the Vice Provost for Research and Economic Development.

Graduate students may apply for travel grants of up to $750. The grants are intended to support travel for students who are presenting their work at national conferences. To be eligible for the travel grant, the student must be the presenting author.

Up to 46 travel grants will be awarded during the academic year.

Program Details

• Travel costs will be reimbursed upon return according to standard UND procedures. Only travel costs deemed as allowable by UND will be reimbursed.
• Only one request per student will be considered each academic year.
• Notification of funding will be made within two weeks of deadlines.
• Expenses for award funds must fall within these dates:
  • Fall 2025: August 16 through December 31
  • Beginning 2026:
    • Quarter 1: January 1 through March 31
    • Quarter 2: April 1 through June 30
    • Quarter 3: July 1 through September 30
    • Quarter 4: October 1 through December 31

Eligibility Requirements

• Applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral or master's program at UND.
• Applicants must be enrolled at the time the paper is presented.
  • Students who have graduated or are on leave of absence at the time of the conference presentation are not eligible.
• Applicants must be in good academic standing.
• Applicants must be the presenting author of the work.

Apply

1. Complete the small grants application.
2. Attach a confirmation letter or email that your paper has been accepted for presentation.
3. Attach a copy of the abstract or paper that is being presented.

Deadlines

• Fall 2025: September 15
• Beginning 2026:
  • Quarter 1: December 1
  • Quarter 2: March 1
  • Quarter 3: June 1
  • Quarter 4: September 1

The UND School of Graduate Studies and the Office of the Vice President for Research & Economic Development (VPRED) are pleased to announce a call for fellowship applications to support doctoral students who will dedicate full-time effort to their dissertation work during the academic year of 2026-2027.  

This funding opportunity aligns with the UND Strategic Plan, UND LEADS, as well as the School of Graduate Studies’ Strategic Plan. It supports and fosters a culture of creativity, research, and innovation and encourages collaboration and inter-disciplinary research. 

 Anticipated Funding  

• Number of Awards: Up to three – one in each of the following three areas: (1) Engineering, (2) Natural and Health Sciences, and (3) Professional, Social Sciences, Humanities & Arts. 
• Award Amount: $21,500 per recipient. 
• Award Period: August 16, 2026 to May 15, 2027.  

Program Details 

• Students can receive this fellowship only once. 
• Applications will be reviewed by an interdepartmental ad hoc committee whose members have advised Ph.D. students and have as strong track record of publishing their scholarly work and securing external grants.
• Applications that make the shortlist will then be reviewed by the members of the Graduate Committee, which is made up of elected representatives from the graduate faculty and serves as the executive council of the graduate faculty. 

Eligibility Requirements 

• Must be enrolled in a doctoral program during the semester when the application is submitted.
• Must be scheduled to graduate in the 2027 calendar year.
• Must not hold a concurrent assistantship during the award period.
• Must be committed to dedicating full time effort to the doctoral dissertation throughout the 2026-2027 academic year.
• Must register for at least one (1) dissertation or research credit during the 2026-2027 academic year. As tuition waivers are generally provided by the department, applicants are encouraged to confirm waiver availability with their advisors.
• Must be advanced to candidacy 

Apply 

Complete the fellowship application via DocuSign, which is available on the Grants and Fellowships page on the School of Graduate Studies’ website. Applicants will be asked to attach the following files: 

1. A curriculum vitae focused on research, grants, and teaching experience.
2. An application letter (maximum of one page, single-spaced, 12-pt font) that includes: 
   1. Your current academic status – please describe your progression in your program (e.g., data collection stage, dissertation writing stage, etc.).
   2. A projected timeline for completion of the degree.
   3. A statement describing how the fellowship time will be used.
   4. Your future career goals and how this opportunity aligns with those goals.
3. A research statement (maximum three pages, single-spaced, 12-pt font) that includes a working dissertation title and the following components. Statements exceeding three pages will not be reviewed. 
   1. An abstract (up to 100 words) that is jargon-free and accessible to the non-specialist audience.
   2. A clear summary of your dissertation research, including the research problem, the significance of the proposed research, the method(s) to be used, and anticipated results.
   3. A description of how your dissertation research fits within the scholarly literature in the academic field and the unique contributions it will make to the field, processional practices, and relevant communities.
   4. A description of how this fellowship and dissertation research will support your professional goals.
   5. Optional appendix pages (up to three pages) that may include key references, tables, figures, or diagrams. This appendix does not count toward the three-page limit.
4. At least two letters of recommendation: 
   1. One from the student’s advisor.
   2. One from your department chair or graduate program director.
   3. If these are the same person, the second letter should come from a member of the dissertation committee. 

Recommendation letters should address the following: 

1. The importance and significance of the applicant’s overall research project and its impact on the broader discipline.
2. Specific contributions the applicant has made to the research (e.g., invited presentations, awards, honors), demonstrating their ability to complete the project independently and with originality.
3. How the applicant has grown as a researcher throughout the graduate program, and how that development has guided the dissertation project. 
4. Specific information about the applicant’s progress in the doctoral program. 

 

Incomplete or late applications will not be reviewed. 

 

Deadline 

November 30, 2025 

 

Criteria for Selection 

If more than one application is submitted from a single department, the department chair will be asked to rank the applications. 

The Review Committee will evaluate and rank applicants based on the quality of the application, including clarity and completeness, and the student’s qualifications to successfully complete the proposed study.   

Final funding decisions are made by the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies. 

Applicants will be notified of the results via email. 

Fellowship Expectations 

• Attend monthly meetings with dissertation advisors as well as research and career mentors identified by the School of Graduate Studies in consultation with the fellows. Meetings will be hosted by the School of Graduate Studies at the Gershman Graduate Center. These meetings are intended to support fellows’ progress and provide guidance and mentorship as needed.
• Deliver a 10-minute verbal overview of the anticipated dissertation work to the campus community at a School of Graduate Studies-hosted event in early Fall 2026.
• Deliver another verbal 10-minute presentation on the dissertation work at the Graduate Research Achievement Day event in Spring 2027. This presentation is separate from the final dissertation defense.